Could you join the Gravesend side?

Footballing girls and ladies inspired by England’s Lionesses reaching the semi-finals of Euro 2017 are being encouraged to join a Gravesend side looking for new players.

Guru Nanak Ladies FC has been running since 2015 and is preparing to face opposition in Kent League West come September.

But before the new season can get underway one of the side’s founders was invited out on to the Wembley pitch at the weekend to be rewarded for its inclusive approach.

The club began in 2015 with a group of Sikh ladies who had never played before, initially training alongside the men’s and youth teams.

But with project leader Parm Gill at the helm, the side went on to become fully integrated into the club, also offering an under 13s girls side, for which trials take place on midday on Saturday, August 12.

Mrs Gill walked out onto Wembley’s pitch at half time during the Community Shield match between Arsenal and Chelsea on Sunday, where she was presented with the FA award for best inclusive project by World Cup winner Sir Geoff Hurst.

Based in the second tier of the South East Counties Women’s League, the young side currently has just 15 players, and player Karanvir Sanghera has urged other women to come and join in.

“We’re based behind the gurdwara but women from any background can come and play, it’s all about having fun and enjoying the team spirit,” said the defender.

“As well as the award for best inclusive project, we received a community spirit award from our league at the end of last season for the way we behave on the pitch.

“We normally play once a week when the season is on, and we also try and run friendlies in the build up.

“I originally joined for the exercise, but soon it became about the football, my dad, Inderjit Sanghera, and Manjit Atwal, whose daughter also plays in the side, have both coached at various levels with the men’s section and now coach the senior ladies team, with Baljinder Rana coaching the under 13s.”

Training for the ladies’ team takes place on Thursdays from 7pm to 8.30pm and on Saturdays from 10am to 11.30am and is open to any newcomers at Guru Nanak Sports Ground, where trials for the girl’s under 13s side take place this weekend.

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